Headlight.



No. 718,208. I PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

F. KAPPREL. HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION F`ILED MAY 8, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

I w l 110111111 lllln/ UNITED STATES Y'PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KAPPREL, OF ATCHISON, KANSAS.

HEADLleHT.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 718,208, dated January 13, 1903.

Application led May 8, 1902, `Serial No. 106,467. (No model.) i

To @ZZ whom it may concern: L

Be itknown that I, FRANK KAPPEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atchison, in the county of Atchison and State of Kansas, have invented -a new and useful Headlight, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to headlights for use on locomotives and electric and other cars', especially that class of cars employed in suburban and interurban traffic.

The objectfof theinvention, broadly stated, is to provide a novel structure which will automatically maintain the, light upon the track while the 'locomotive -or car is rounding a curve, the'mechanism being so constructed, howeverfthatthe light will be thrown straight ahead on acstraight track andtisnot liable to be accidentally de tlected when the road is rough.

The preferred embodimentofthis inven-y tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, though it ,will be evident upon an inspection of the lclaims that lthe invention is not limited solelygto thisstructure, but is open to many changes and modifications.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aheadlight constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, a portionof the outer casing being broken away to more fully illustrate the novel construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the headlight. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View. Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view vof the latch employed. Fig. 5 is a detail'vertical sectional view through one ot' the tracks.

Similar numerals of reference ldesignate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawings. l

In the present structure the usual outer casing 10 is employed, which may be of any well-known or desirable shape, having the usual glass-covered opening or window 11 in its front wall. Within this casing is located a reflector which is composed of relatively movable sections. To this end an intermediate stationary section 12 is employed, supported upon a post 13, located within the rear portion of `the casing, said stationary section having the rear reflector-plate 14 and upper and lower plates l5, that extend forwardly nearly to the front end of the casing.

'Pivoted to the stationary section 12 are movable sections 16, which constitute the sides of the reflector/and have their upper and loweredges sliding` upon the upper and lower plates 15 of the stationary section.V These sections are preferably made of angularlydisposedportions, though they may be curved so that the complete Ireflector will be substantially circular in cross-section. As the 'sections are pivoted at their rear ends,it will be evident thatas they swing away from or toward each other the front opening of the reflectorwill be consequently enlarged or contracted.

Separate mechanisms are employed for controlling the movement of each section, and as these mechanisms are exact duplicates but one need be described. An inwardlyprojecting latch 17fis pivoted to an upright 18, its inner free end being rounded, as shown at 19, and arranged to engage an abutment 20, secured to the outer face of the pivoted section 16 to prevent the outward movement of said section. This latch carries a depending arm 20a, that is provided with an offset fingerV 21, said linger being located in a guideway formed by a pair of horizontallydisposed spaced guide-pieces 24, secured to the standard 18. The latch is normally held in engagement with the abutment 2O by any suitable means-as, for instance, a spring 21, that bears against the lower portion of the arm 20a.; Suspended from the upper portion of the casing by a pivotally-hung link 22 is a weight 23, that is located in the guideway formed by the pieces 24, said weight being so arranged that it will engage the finger 21 when the headlight is tilted in one direction, thereby depressing the latch 19 and disengaging it from the stop 20 to permit the outward movement of the reflector-section 16. This outward movement is accomplished by means of a suitable spring, as 25, which is secured at one end to a stem 26, projecting beyond the rear of the reflector. An inclined track 27 is located in the front portion of the casing, being formed of a U-shaped piece of metal, the upper edge of which constitutes spaced tracks that incline toward the reflector, and upon these tracks rolls a weighted ball 28, which normally rests against an abutment 29, secured to the front end of the movable section ICO outward movement.

16. Supported between the tracks is another latch 30, pivotally supported intermediate its ends, its front end being provided with a catch 3l, that normally engages a projection 32, secured to the section 16 below the abutment 29. The rear end 33 ot' thelatch is upturned and arranged in the path of movement of the ball 28. y

In use a suitable lamp, as 3U, is arranged within the reector, being passed through the stationary section l2. This lamp may, of course, be either oil or electric, as desired. Under normal conditions the headlight is fixed in a plumb position, and consequently the latches will be in engagement with the abutments, thus holding the sections against As is well known, all curves of railway-tracks are higher upon one side, and therefore when a locomotive or car carrying the described headlight rounds a curve said headlight will be thrown from its plumb position. As a result the lower weight will swing to a vertical position, engage the finger 2l of the latch, and move said latch to an inoperative position with respect to the lowersection. Atthesametimetheweighted ball 28 will roll away from the section, engage the rear end ot the latch, and consequen tly disengage the front end from the projection 32, thus allowing the spring to actuate said section and swing it outwardly. As a result the light will' be deflected in the direction of the track, and thus be maintained upon said track. As soon as the locomotive or car resumes its upright position after passing the curve the ball 2S will again engage the abutment 29, and the weight23 will swing against the outer side of the section. These combined weights will overcome the action of the spring, and consequently said section will be moved back to its normal position, where it will be again locked. Should the locomotive travel over rough track, the jar might occasion the disengagement of the latch 17; but as the movement of said ball is comparatively slow it will not contact with the latch 30, or if it does the latch 17 will again spring back into its operative position before the spring has moved the section, and thus the locomotive may travel over rough track while the beam of light will be concentrated straight ahead, and there will be little danger of accidental deiiection. By this structure it will therefore be seen that a headlight is provided the light from which will automatically be delected and maintained upon the track while rounding a curve, said means being comparatively simple and not liable to become deranged.

From theforegoing itis thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art without Ifurther description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a headlight, a reflector having a mow able section, a lock for normally holding the section against movement, and actuating means for the lock.

2. In a headlight, a refiector having a movable section, a lock forl normally holding the section against movement, and actuating means for the lock7 said means being operated by the tilting of the headlight.

3. In a headlight, a reflector comprising relatively movable sections, and a spring for moving one of the sections with relation to the other.

4. In aheadlight, a reflector,comprising relatively movable sections, and means for moving one ot' the sections with relation to the other.

5. In a headlight, a reflector comprising pivotally-associated sections, locking mechanism for holding the sections against relative movement, and means for automatically moving the lockingmechanism to inoperative position with respect to said sections.

6. In a headlight, a reector comprising pivotally-associated sections, locking mechanism for holding the sections against relative movement, means for automatically moving the locking mechanism to inoperative position with respect to said sections, and an actuating device for swinging one of the sections when unlocked.

7. In a headlight, a refiector comprising pivotally-associated sections, locking mechanism for holding the sections against relative movement, means for automatically moving the locking mechanism to inoperative position, and actuating devices for swinging one of the sections in opposite directions when unlocked.

8. In a headlight, a reiector comprising an intermediate stationary section, and movable pivoted sections located on opposite sides of the intermediate section.

9. In a headlight, a refiector comprising an intermediate stationary section, and outwardly-movable sections pivoted to opposite sides of the intermediate section.

l0. In a headlight, a reflector comprising an intermediate stationary section and outwardly-movable sections pivoted to the opposite sides of the intermediate section, and sep arate means for locking each section against movement.

1l. In a headlight, a reflector comprising an intermediate stationary section, and outwardly-movable pivoted sections located on opposite sides of the intermediate section, separate means for locking each section against movement, and means for separately moving said locks to inoperative positions.

l2. In a headlight, a refiector having a pivoted section, and a pivoted latch engaging IOO IZO

the pivoted section to hold it against movement, and automatically-operated means for moving the latch to inoperative position with respect to the section.

13. In a headlight, a reector having a pivoted section, a pivoted latch detachably engaging the pivoted section to hold it against movement, and a Weight arranged to disengage the latch from the pivoted section.

14. In a headlight, a reflector having a pivoted section, a pivoted latch detachably engaging the pivoted section to holdY it against movement, and a depending swinging weight arranged to disengage the latch from the pivoted section.

15. In a headlight, a reilector having a pivoted section, a guideway located at one side of the pivoted section, a latch pivoted above the guideway and having a depending arm located therein, said latch engaging thepivoted section to hold it against movement, and a suspended swinging weight movable against the arm of the latch to disengage the same from the section.

16. In a headlight, a reflector having a pivoted section, a lock for holding the section against movement, automatic means for moving the lock to an inoperative position with relation to the pivot-section, and a spring for moving the section when unlocked.

17. In a headlight, a reflector having a pivoted section, a lock for holding the section against movement, automatic means for movoted section, a lock for holding the section 4o against movement, an inclined track located at one side of the section,and a weighted roller movably resting upon the track and bearing against the section.

19. In a headlight, a reflector having a mov- 45 'able section, a latch having an engagement with the section to hold it against movement, and a roller movable into and out of engagement withrthe latch to disengage said latch from the section.

20. In aheadlight, a reflector havinga movable section, spaced tracks arranged contiguous to the section, a latch pivoted between l the tracks and having a detachable engagement with the section to holdfit against move- 5 5 ment, and a ball movably resting upon the tracks and movableinto engagement with the latch.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto aflxed'my signature in 6o the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK KAPPREL.

Witnesses:

E. F. MITCHELL, C. F. BOATWRIGHT. 

